The Nightjar builds no nest at all but lays its eggs directly on the ground, well hidden by its camouflage plumage.
Nest site: bare ground on dry, warm and open woodland — pine heaths, heather moors, sandy ground and sparse clear-cuts.
Substrate: the eggs are laid straight onto sand, needles or leaves, with neither a dug scrape nor gathered material.
Protection: the incubating bird's finely spotted, bark-like markings make both the bird and the usually 2 eggs blend into the ground.
Because the eggs lie unprotected on the ground, the species is sensitive to disturbance, and the incubating bird sits tight until the very last moment so as not to give away the site.